Top-support for talking-machine and other cabinets.



F. LQQAPPS. -'TOP SU'PPORT FORITALKING MACHINE'AND OTHER CABINETS.

Patented June 27, 1916.

w I l/l/ 1 Mum S A K L' NF BI G Q ONNECTICUT. ASSIGNOR T AMERICAN GRAPHO- PHONE COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF WEST VIRGINIA.

Tor-surreal FOR TALKING-MACHINE AND OTHER CABINETS.

' Specification of Letters Yatent.

Patented June 27, 1916.

Application filed March a1, 1913. Serial No. 757,864.

To all whom it may concern 'i- Be it known that I,

FRANK L. CArrs, a

' citizen of the United States, of Bridgeport,

I acter, preferably Connecticut, have invented a new and in order to ldwer the top,

and useful Improvement in Top-Supports for Talking-Machine and other Cabinets, which invention is fully set forth in the following specification. r v

This invention relates to improvements in to supportsfor talking machine and other ca inets. l

' Heretofore, cabinets of this character have been provided with means which act automatically, when the top is elevated, to retain the same in elevatedposition. taining device is generally located within the top (which is hinged to such top has to be engaged by one hand of the operator, while the retaining device is tripped'by the other hand. 1 The object of the present invention is to provide a retaining device of superior charlocated within the top,and the retaining device, also the top, but 0.\'

means for'tripping preferably located within tending to a point exterior thereto and in the same.

trating the invention,

convenient position to be actuated by the thumb'or finger ofthe same hand of the operator that seizes the top for lowering The inventive idea involv d is capable of receiving a variety of mechanical expressions, one of which, for the'purpose of, illusis shown in the acconii panying drawings. Such drawings are not to be'taken as defining the limits of the invention, reference beinghad to the claims for that purpose.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section through the top and upper portion of the body of the cabinet,

showing my" improved device in elevation,

the"fu llline'sshowing the position of the partswhenthe top is lowered, and the dfit- "the retaining 'dev1ce; and Fig. 3 isa detail of the mounting for'the-p'ush rod where it extends throughthe wall ofthe top.

" Referrin'g to the 'drawings,=in which like referencecharacters"indicate like parts, 1 is the upper portion of the body of any suit- The rethe cabinet) able cabinet, and 2 is the top or cover hinged thereto at 3. The top is preferably provided with a top wallwhich is prefer-1 ably horizontal and flat and with side and end walls at angles to the horizontal. A. supporting device for the .cover is provided wh ch is preferably a lever 4 pivoted to sw ng about an axis parallel to the, hinge axis of the cover. An abutment is provided with which the lever can engage when 111 one position of adjustment about the axis, and by preference the abutment is onv the body part of the cabinet, and the lever ison the top part. Means is provided for releasing the supporting device, thismeans bemg preferably a rod 6 pivotally connected to the lever 4 at 7, which rod extends along the interior of the top and.outwardthrough the front wall thereof at 8, where it is preferably provided with an enlarged end or button 9. The opening at 8 through which the rod extends is of greater diameter than the rod 6, and the button 9 is of slightly less diameter than said opening, in order that the button may snugly fit, but be free to play, therein. A suitable abutment, here shown as a pj n 10, is formed on therod (3, which almtnient engages the interior face of aflfii'nble 11 inserted in the opening 8, while a spring 12 surrounds the rod 6 and between the button 9 and the bottomof the thimble, which spring acts normally vto force the rod and the button 9 outward until the pin 10 engages the thimble. Pressure oh the button 9, however. will act to compress the spring, and through the rod 6, to rock the lever elon its fulcrum 5.

An opening 13 is formed through the upper wall or partition of the body of the cabinet, which opening is preferably surrounded by a countersunk metallic plate 14 having a slot 15 formed therein, through which the lower arm of the lever top of the cabinet is in lowered position, as shown in full lines in Fig. 1, The rear wall of the slot serves as the aforesaid abutment to be engaged by the lower end portion of the lever 4'. as hereinafter described, for the,

purpose of retaining the top in. elevatedposition. Preferably this abutment is in the form of a bridge-piece 16 extending across the slot 15, so as to leave an opening or portion of the slot 17 to the rear thereof." The lower portion of the lever 4 is formed with a shoulder or stop 18 for engaging the abutment 16, and on the same side as said shoulderand just above the same, with :1 ca m-like surface 19, while the extreme lower end of the lever is provided with a laterally extending stop or lug 20, which acts to engage the under side of plate 11 to limit the opening movement of the top.

In the operation of the device, when the top is in the act of being elevated by the operator, the cam 19 engages the under side of the abutment 16, and rocks the lever t on its fulcrum, the spring 12 yielding to permit this rocking action, and as soon as the nose of the cam 19 passes the abutment, the spring reacts, moving the rod (3 to the left, and throwing the shoulder 18 over the abutment 16, the opening'IT permitting a more etlicient formation of the shoulder for engagement with the abutment, and also permitting any dirt that might engage at that point to be shoved off, and dropped through the opening, The parts when elevated are then in the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. l, the rod 6 and the button 9 being in the same position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. \Vhen the operator desires to lower the top. lie-slightly elevates the same by pressing the palm of hishand thereon, and pushes the button 9 inward with his thumb, thereby rocking the lever 4 so as to disengage the shoulder 18 from the abutment 16, and permit the lever 4 to descend through the slot 15, and the top to be again lowered into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1.

It will be perceived that the automatic action of the device for retaining the top elevatcd is not dependent upon the action of gravity, as has been the case heretofore in devices of this character, but is assured by the action of the spring 12; that all the parts, except the button 9, are concealed within the top, so that they do not mar the externalappearance of the cabinet. either wh'eirthe top is lowered or "elevated; and

that the operation of lowering the top may be effected with great facility by one hand of the operator. Not only is the lowering action accomplished by one hand, but the necessity for reaching into a narrow space in the cabinet under the top for tripping the retaining device by hand is entirely eliminated.

Various changes may be made in the relative proportions and arrangement of the various parts, without departing from the spirit of the. invention.

\Vhat is claimed is I 1. In a cabinet, the combination of a cabinet body, a top hinged thereto at one edge. a lever pivoted to one of the said parts for movement about an axis parallel to the hinge axis. an abutment on the other of the said parts engageable by the lever when the latter is in one position of adjustment about the axisto hold the top in elevated. position and discngagcablc by the lever when the lever 15 in another position of adplstnu-nt. and means ha Hug a manually operable part car;

ried by thet'op at a point remote from this lever when the latter is inone position of adjustment about the axis to hold the top in elevated position and disengageable by the lever when the lever is in another of adjustment, and means having ually operable part carried by'the top at a point remote from the hinge axis for swinging the lever about its pivotal axis to disposition 21 manengage the abutment, thereby leaving the 1 top free to be lowered.

3. In a cabinet, the combination of a cabinet body, a top hinged thereto at one edge and provided with side and end walls and .a

top wall, a lever pivoted to the top on the interior thereof, an abutment on the'bodv engageable by the lever to hold the top elevated, and means having a manually 0])El'-' the top at a polnt re-' able part carried by mote from the hinge axis for swinging the lever about its pivotal axis to disengage the abutment, thereby leaving the top free to be lowered.

4. In a. cabinet, the combination -65. cabinet body, a top hinged thereto at one edge and provided with side and end walls and a top wall,v a lever pivoted to the top on the interior thereof, an abutment on the body engageable by the lever to hold the top elevated, a push button movably mounted in the wall of the top opposite to the hinge axis, and a push rod within the top between the push button and the lever for swinging jhelever about its pivotal axis to disengage the abutment, thereby leaving the top free to be lowered.

5. In a cabinet, the combination of a cabinet body, a. top hinged to the body at one edge and provided with side and end walls and a top wall, a device partly within the top supporting the top in a. raised position, a push button movably mounted in the wall of the top opposite to the hinge axis. and a push rod within the top between the push button and the supporting device.

6. In a cabinet, the combination of a cabinet body. a partition across the top of the said body. a cover hinged to the body part above the partition and provided with side and end walls and a top wall. a cover supporting device connected to the cover and having engagement with the partition. and releasing means for the supporting device having a manually. operable part carried by the cover a'nd'positioned at a point on the exterior'thereof."

7. In a cabinet, the combination of a cabinet body, a partition across the top of the said body, a cover hinged to the body part above the partition and provided with side and end walls and a top wall, a cover hinged to the body part above the partition,

a cover supporting device connected to the cover and movable through the slot in the partition, a fixed abutment on the partition for the support of the cover by the said supporting device, and means for moving the said supporting device into and out of em gagement with the abutment.

9. In a cabinet, the combination of a cabinet body, a partition across the top of the said body having a slot therein, a cover hinged to the body part above the partition, a spring-pressed lever pivoted to the cover and extending through the slot in the partition, a lever enga 'ng abutment on the partition adjacent t operable means carried by .thecover for swinging the lever to disengage it from the abutment.

1 0. In a cabinet, the combination of a body and a top hinged thereto, with a lever fulcrumed on the interior of the top and having a shoulder, an abutment on said body to be engaged by said shoulder, a rod engaging said lever and extending out through the wall of the top,- a spring acting on said rod to throw it outward, a stop limiting the outward movement of the rod, and a cam on the lever engaging a part to rock the lever against the tension of the spring during the opening movement of the top.

In testimony whereof Lhave signed this specification in the presence of two subscribmg witnesses.

FRANK L. CAPPS.

\Vitnesses M. E. LYLE, J. S. GRIFFITH.

e slot, and manually 

